Turkey intends to annexe Northern Syria

Erdogan inspecting Turkish soldiers dressed as Ottoman Janissaries. Erdogan has dreams of becoming the absolute dictator of a revived Ottoman Empire, a Sultan for the 21st century and he is prepared to do so regardless of how many Kurds and Arabs he has to slaughter.

[Editor’s note: I have written several prior articles explaining that Erdogan is following a neo-Ottoman agenda as laid out by his former PM Davutoglu in a 2001 book called Strategic Depth. In this notorious book Davutoglu calls for the creation of ‘lebensraum’ for the Turkish people by expanding the borders of the Turkish state southwards and eastwards – thus reclaiming the former Mosul and Aleppo vilayets of the ottoman Empire, including two of the largest and most important cities of the Middle East.

Operation Euphrates Shield, the supposed operation by the Turkish Army to combat terrorism has just come to an end and this announcement that the Turkish forces that invaded Syria are there to stay is a de facto admission that Turkey has always intended to seize Syrian territory and a de jure annexation of that territory.

Erdogan appears to be applying the old adage that possession is nine tenths of the law, furthermore he is challenging Russia, Iran and Syria’s other allies to do something to oppose Turkish aggression. Most cynically, Erdogan is trying to seize as much as he can before Putin makes him stop. Ian]

The Turkish army said Friday it will keep a military presence in Syria despite officially ending its offensive in the country’s north against the ISIS militants.

“Our activities continue for the protection of our national security, to prevent any undesirable entity, to allow our displaced Syrian brothers and sisters to return to their country, and to ensure security and stability in the region,” the military said.

The Turkish armed forces said in a statement this “phase” of its operation against ISIS and “terrorists” in the region was “successfully completed.”

The completion of the operation dubbed “Euphrates Shield” had been announced by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Wednesday, who nevertheless did not rule out new military campaigns inside Syria.

At the time, neither Yildirim nor the top advisory national security council had said whether or not there were plans to withdraw Turkish troops.

Turkey launched in August its unilateral operation with Syrian rebels to remove ISIS from its border and to halt the Kurdish militia advance.

Dozens of Turkish soldiers were killed by ISIS during clashes and attacks as Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters recaptured towns including Jarabulus, Al-Rai, Dabiq and Al-Bab.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Friday the completion of the military operation did not mean Turkey would ignore what takes place on its southern border.

“There should be no meaning taken from this that Turkey will remain indifferent to the security risks or will not engage there,” Kalin told reporters in Ankara.

“Just the opposite actually, security measures in the region continue at the highest level,” he added, without giving further details.

Turkey has suggested it wants to join any operation to capture ISIS stronghold Raqa, but without the Kurdish militia it views as terrorists.

Turkey appears to be sidelined as US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces including Kurdish fighters are laying the groundwork for an assault on the heart of the militants’ so-called caliphate.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would give no comment on Turkish involvement during his visit to Ankara on Thursday.

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